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How to Maintain Your F-1 Status

How to Maintain Your F-1 Status. SEVIS Workshop. What Does it Mean to Maintain Status?. Study full-time: 20 hours/week (4 classes) Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 Only work on campus

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How to Maintain Your F-1 Status

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  1. How to Maintain Your F-1 Status SEVIS Workshop

  2. What Does it Mean to Maintain Status? • Study full-time: 20 hours/week (4 classes) • Maintain a grade point average of 2.0 • Only work on campus • Stay in communication with your international student advisor and teachers regarding your progress and any concerns you may have.

  3. Workshop Agenda • US Mailing Address • Attendance, Grades, and Probation • Holds: Immunizations and Payments • How to Get Travel Authorization • Expirations: Passports, Visas, and I-20’s • How to Transfer to Another School • Questions

  4. US Mailing Address • Required in order to maintain your SEVIS record. • Without this, your SEVIS record is incomplete, and we cannot register you in SEVIS as student! • Once you set up your computer account, log on to Banner and update your address using the “Mailing Address” option in the drop down menu. • For instructions on how to update your address, please click here. • Don’t forget to include your apartment number!

  5. Grades and Attendance • You must maintain a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 2.0 or higher each session. • There are NO excused absences! You are required to attend your classes. • You have 5 emergency absences. Use them wisely. • Tardiness: Being late can effect your attendance, so don’t be late!

  6. What Happens if You Get Bad Grades or Attendance?

  7. Probation • Probation means that your grades or attendance are not acceptable. If you are on probation, you have 1 session to improve. If you do not improve, you may be suspended or dismissed from the program. If you are dismissed, this means your F-1 visa status may be terminated. Academic Probation: If you have below a 2.0 GPA, you are placed on academic probation. Attendance Probation: If you have 6 or more absences in two or more classes OR 10 absences in one class, you are placedon attendance probation.

  8. Suspension • You are suspended if you were on academic probation and fail to earn at least a 2.0 GPA during your probationary session. • You will have to transfer or return home within 21 days of the session end date. • If you do not transfer or depart within 21 days of the previous session’s end date, your F-1 status will be terminated.

  9. Suspension Continued • You may re-apply to the Language Institute if grades improve and have good attendance at the new school. A new application fee of $100 will be required to apply for re-admission. • If you are readmitted, you will remain on academic probation for the first session, and must earn at least a 2.0 GPA. May Return if Improve

  10. Dismissal Occurs When: • You are in good standing but have more than 10 absences in 2 or more classes at any point in the session. • You were previously on attendance probation and have more than 5 absences in 1 or more classes in the following session. • You were previously suspended from the Language Institute and fall below a 2.0 GPA during their first session after re-admission. Not Allowed to Return

  11. Termination • F-1 students who are dismissed from the Language Institute will have their F-1 status terminated. • F-1 students in terminated status must leave the US or transfer to another school (in terminated status) within 15 days of the date of termination. • If you transfer in terminated status, you will have to file for reinstatement through your new school. 15 Days Transfer Leave the U.S.

  12. Questions?

  13. How Do You Avoid Probation? • Maintain GPA of 2.0 or higher. • Attend all of your classes! • Do not have 6 or more absences in 2 or more classes. • Do not have 10 or more absences in 1 or more classes. • Use your teachers’ office hours if you have any concerns! • Don’t be afraid to ask for help from faculty and staff. • You will also want to make sure that you do not have a hold on your record at the start of the next session…

  14. Immunization Hold • The Stamps Student Health Center requires you to have up-to-date immunizations. If you do not, you will have a hold on your account, and you will not be able to attend class until you have your immunizations and the Health Center processes your paperwork. This can take at least 5 days. • If you are not attending class, this is an immigration issue!

  15. How to Avoid the Immunization Hold • Go to the front desk of O’Keefe and have Linda or Adria schedule an appointment for you at the Stamps Health Center. • If you get your immunizations at the Health Center, then the hold is lifted immediately! • If you get your immunizations elsewhere, upload the paperwork to immunizations.health.gatech.edu. • The website will allow you to track its status. It can take the Health Center at least 5 days to process your paperwork.

  16. Payment Hold • Students are required to pay for tuition and fees or provide up-to-date financial guarantees. • If you are a sponsored student, your financial guarantee cannot expire before the current session end date. • If your financial guarantee will expire this session, you will have a hold until you provide an updated guarantee, and will not be able to attend class. • All absences count, so may sure you pay or provide and an updated financial guarantee! • If you are not attending class, this is an immigration issue!

  17. How to Avoid the Payment Hold • In order to pay for tuition and fees, go to room 102 or 108. • For sponsored students, if your financial guarantee expires next session, see Linda or Adria at the front desk of O’Keefe and ask to complete a Request Form for an extension letter. • Provide specific details as to why you need a scholarship extension, including your current level, what classes you still need, and what you plan to do academically upon completing our program. • Return the Request Form to the front desk.

  18. How Do I Get Travel Authorization? • You only need travel authorization if you are travelling internationally. • Book your plane flight. Your flight must be scheduled to return on or before the next program start date! • A week before your flight, bring your I-20 and flight reservation (electronic ticket or itinerary) to room 108 • Kate will sign page 3 of your I-20 authorizing you to re-enter the U.S.

  19. Travel Authorization Continued • If you are on probation and need to travel, we cannot sign your I-20. You will have to wait until the Friday after the session ends for final grades and for us to know whether or not we can accept you back into our program. • If you get an e-mail the following Friday with a termination or suspension letter, then we cannot accept you back. • If you do not receive an e-mail, then e-mail Kate (Kate.Kirk@gatech.edu) requesting a travel authorization letter. • She will e-mail you a letter to give to Customs & Border Protection. • This letter will allow you entry into the U.S. through the next program start date.

  20. Expired Immigration Documents • Passports: Your passport’s expiration date must be more than 6 months away before you enter the U.S. If your passport will expire while you are in the U.S., you can renew it at your consulate here in Atlanta. • Visas: Your visa may expire while you are in the U.S. However, if you need to leave and re-enter the U.S., you will have to renew your visa. • I-20’s: If the program end date on your I-20 is this session, and you think you need more time to complete your studies, go to Kate’s office and bring an updated bank document or financial guarantee.

  21. How to Transfer to Another School • Apply to the new school. • Ask if they have a Transfer In form that your current advisor (Kate) needs to complete. • Once you have completed the required section for students on the form, bring it to Kate, and she will complete the rest. Allow a day or two for this. • Bring Kate your acceptance letter and completed Transfer Out form. • She must have both in order to transfer your SEVIS record. • Make sure you provide both within 60 days of your last session end date. • Transfer-Out Form • Acceptance Letter

  22. Transfers: Terminations and Suspensions • If you have been terminated, you have 15 days to transfer to another school. • If you have been suspended from the program, you have 21 days to transfer to another school before your status is terminated. • Suspended students are allowed to re-apply to the Language Institute if their grades improve at your new school ($100 application fee required). Termination 15 Days Suspension 21 Days

  23. Questions? • Kate’s office is in room 108 of the O’Keefe building. • Her office hours are 10:00 – 12:00 and 2:30 – 3:30. • Her virtual office hour is Friday at 3:00. Click here for instructions on how to log in to Microsoft Lync. • If you are unavailable at those times, see Adria or Linda at the front desk of O’Keefe and make an appointment to see her. • E-mail her at Kate.Kirk@gatech.edu! She is great about responding to e-mails. 

  24. Works Cited • Photo from the article by “Study Tips for Dead Week” on College Study Tips by Aaldana, 13 Jan. 2012. 19 June 2014: www.collegestudytips.net. • Image from the Georgia Tech Language Institute’s profile on Study Destiny. 19 June 2014: http://www.studydestiny.com/english/study-abroad/america/school-view.htm?sc_id=509. • Image from the article “How to Get a Free USA Mailing Address” on Bubblews by dealsonline111, 1 June 2013. 19 June 2014: http://www.bubblews.com/news/596058-how-to-get-a-free-usa-mailing-address. • Image from the article “India Gets a Negative Grade” on Child Friendly News, 10 May 2010. 19 June 2014: http://childfriendlynews.com/india-gets-a-negative-grade. • Image from the article “Suspended/Revoked License (DWLS/DWLR) Charges in the Detroit Area” on Michigan Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog by Jeffrey J. Randa, 5 Aug. 2013. 19 June 2014: http://www.michigancriminaldefenselawyerblog.com/suspended-driver-license/. • Image from the article “Case Dismissed Without Leave to Amend: Fl Rule 1.110(b) Verification of Mortgage Foreclosure Complaint” by 4closureFraud, 29 Jan. 2011. 19 June 2014: http://4closurefraud.org/2011/01/29/case-dismissed-without-leave-to-amend-fl-rule-1-110b-verification-of-mortgage-foreclosure-complaint/. • Photo from the article “New Study Reports on Benefits of International Students on U.S. Students” on Study in the States, 27 June 2013. 19 June 2014: http://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2013/06/new-study-reports-on-benefits-of-international-students-on-u-s-students. • Photo from the article “Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Cancer Patients To Get Faster Treatment By Injection” by PA HuffPost UK on Huffington Post Lifestyle UK, 22 Jan. 2013. 19 June 2014: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/01/22/cancer-non-hodgkin-lymphoma-patient-speed_n_2526486.html. • Image from the Stamps Health Services, 19 June 2014: https://www.myappointment.health.gatech.edu/. • Image from the article “When Patients Don’t Pay” by Jesse on Shrink Rap, 12 June 2011. 19 June 2014: http://psychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com/2011/06/guest-blogger-jesse-when-patients-dont.html. • Photo from the article “Signed 20 Will Travel” on No F1ing Around: A “What I’ve Learned” Guide for the International Student, 13 Nov. 2013. 19 June 2014: http://f1ingaround.wordpress.com/tag/i-20/. • Photo from ShutterStock Images LLC. “payment machine.” Photo Dictionary, 23 Sept. 2009. 19 June 2014: http://www.photo-dictionary.com/phrase/5693/payment-machine.html. • Image from the article “Solution to ‘Unable to Mount - Not Authorized’ Ubuntu 11.10” on Computer Guide: My Experience with Day to Day Learning from the Internet by sreenath, 20 Dec. 2011. 19 June 2014: http://etechedu.blogspot.com/2011/12/solution-to-unable-to-mount-not.html.

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